Colombian Senator Calls for Long-standing Ties with Morocco to Be Preserved

Senator German Alcides Blanco Alvarez, president of the Colombia/Morocco friendship group in the Colombian Senate, pleaded on Monday in Rabat for the preservation and consolidation of long-standing ties between Colombia and Morocco, denouncing the decision of the current government in Bogota to establish relations with the pseudo-sadr. The Colombian Senate, which recently adopted a motion in support of Morocco’s territorial integrity, “categorically” rejects the government’s decision to establish diplomatic relations with the polisario or “legitimize its presence” on Colombian territory, he said at a joint press briefing with speaker of the House of Advisors, Naam Miyara. “There is great concern in the Colombian parliament following the current government’s decision to legitimize, for the first time, the presence of the polisario on national territory,” said German Blanco. On this occasion, he presented the motion adopted by the Colombian Senate, which gave unequivocal support to Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over its Sahara, while reiterating the categorical rejection by “the legitimate representatives of the Colombian people” of the current government’s “unwise decision” to establish relations with the pseudo-sadr. He pointed out that the signatories of this motion categorically reject the current Colombian government’s relations with the polisario. “Colombians, whom we represent in the Senate, attach great importance to relations with Morocco, which we wish to maintain in the future”, added Senator German Blanco, highlighting the long-standing fraternal ties between the two States. He also noted that Colombian legislators are working to safeguard and strengthen relations between Morocco and Colombia, as should have been done by the current president, whose foreign policy “does not represent us”. For his part, the speaker of the House of Advisors stressed the importance of adopting this new motion, calling it an important parliamentary decision. Mayara went on to say that these talks provided an opportunity to examine ways of developing exchanges on issues of common parliamentary interest. “The Colombian Senate’s decision is a clear expression of support for the Kingdom of Morocco’s legitimate right to its entire territory,” noted the upper house speaker. During their visit to the Kingdom, the members of the delegation led by German Blanco will hold a series of talks with several Moroccan officials.